US20170128801A1

US20170128801A1 - Sport practice net with sloped bottom shell

Info

Publication number: US20170128801A1
Application number: US15/332,994
Authority: US
Inventors: John Stirton; David Demery; Leon Roberts
Original assignee: Teammate Sports LLC
Current assignee: Teammate Sports LLC
Priority date: 2015-10-23
Filing date: 2016-10-24
Publication date: 2017-05-11
Also published as: WO2017070694A1

Abstract

A sport net comprising a frame defining a raised ball portal, a bottom shell extending at a downward slope away from the lower edge of the ball portal, and a rear net closing off the back of the sport net, such that balls entering the sport net are directed by the rear net and/or bottom shell toward and into a ball collection aperture at the lowest point in the bottom shell's downward slope and the balls can fall through the ball collection aperture into a collection receptacle.

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

The present application claims the benefit of priority to prior filed and co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/245,745, filed Oct. 23, 2015, the entirety of which is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to the field of sport practice nets, particularly a sport practice net with a sloped bottom that directs balls that enter the sport practice net toward and into a receptacle.
Background
It is common when practicing sports activities to throw or hit balls into a net. Such nets allow athletes to practice in small areas relative to the space that would otherwise be required. For example, a baseball pitcher can practice his pitching motion in his home's garage or backyard by throwing balls into a practice net just a few feet away, instead of needing a practice area that encompasses the full 60 feet 6 inch distance between the rubber on a pitcher's mound and home plate. Additionally, the pitcher can use the net to practice alone or with a trainer, without needing a catcher to catch the balls he throws. Similarly, athletes can hit balls, such as baseballs, softballs, or golf balls, into sports nets to avoid having to retrieve those balls from far away during practice.
However, many sport practice nets trap received balls at the bottom of the net or direct them to the ground. Because the balls are not directed to a central retrieval area or receptacle, retrieval of the balls can be cumbersome and time-consuming.
What is needed is a sport practice net with a sloped bottom surface, such that balls entering the net are directed down the sloped bottom surface to a collection receptacle. Such a net allows balls to be automatically collected within the receptacle for convenient reuse or storage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A depicts a front isometric view of an embodiment of a sport net.

FIG. 1B depicts a rear isometric view of an embodiment of a sport net.

FIG. 1C depicts a side view of an embodiment of a sport net.

FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a frame.

FIG. 3A depicts a front isometric view of an embodiment of a net assembly.

FIG. 3B depicts a side view of an embodiment of a net assembly.

FIG. 3C depicts an exploded view of an embodiment of a net assembly.

FIG. 4A depicts a top view of an embodiment of a bottom shell.

FIG. 4B depicts a side view of an embodiment of a bottom shell.

FIG. 5 depicts a non-limiting example of measurements and angles of one embodiment of the net assembly in a state in which it is being pulled by tension members such that the bottom shell has a downward slope.

FIG. 6 depicts a side view of another non-limiting example of an embodiment in which the bottom shell has a downward slope.

FIG. 7 depicts a full and close-up partial view of an exemplary embodiment of a tension member.

FIG. 8A depicts angles that were experimentally measured on an embodiment of the sport net when various levels of tension were applied to the back of the net assembly by the tension members.

FIG. 8B depicts the results of the measurements at the angles shown in FIG. 8A, as well as measurements of the rear net's droop away from a straight line at various points on the rear net.

FIG. 9 depicts an embodiment of the rear net hung from a frame to have a parabolic shape in order to take experimental measurements.

FIG. 10 depicts an alternate embodiment of a sport net.

FIG. 11 depicts a rear view of the sport net depicted in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 depicts an elevation view of the sport net depicted in FIGS. 10 and 11.

FIGS. 13A and 13B depict the net components of the sport net depicted in FIGS. 10-12.

FIGS. 14A and 14B depict an exploded view of the net components of the sport net depicted in FIGS. 10-13B.

FIG. 15 depicts the parabolic profile of the rear net of the sport net depicted in FIGS. 10-14B.

FIG. 16 depicts a side view of the sport net depicted in FIGS. 10-15.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1A depicts a front isometric view of a sport net 100, FIG. 1B depicts a rear isometric view of the sport net 100, and FIG. 1C depicts a side view of the sport net 100. A sport net 100 can comprise a frame 102, frame connectors 104, a bottom shell 106, a rear net 108, and a plurality of tension members 110. The frame connectors 104 can connect the bottom shell 106 and rear net 108 to a front portion of the frame 102, and the tension members 110 can pull the bottom shell 106 and rear net 108 toward a back portion of the frame 102. A ball receptacle 112 can be placed under the bottom shell and rear net 108, such that the ball receptacle 112 can receive and collect balls that enter the sport net 100.
FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a frame 102. The frame 102 can be a support structure for the sport net 100, and can comprise a plurality of frame members 202 such as arms, legs, crossbars, and/or other members. The frame members 202 can comprise metal, wood, plastic, or any other material. By way of non-limiting examples, the frame members 202 can be metal or PVC tubing.
Some of the frame members 202 can define a ball portal 204 with an open center. The ball portal 204 can be elevated by other frame members 202 relative to lower portions of the frame 102. By way of a non-limiting example, FIG. 2 depicts a frame 102 with four frame members 202 defining a rectangular ball portal 204 that is raised relative to the ground.
Other frame members 202 can extend away from the plane of the ball portal 204. By way of a non-limiting example, FIG. 2 depicts an embodiment with frame members 202 extending substantially orthogonally away the bottom of legs that support the ball portal 204, such that these frame members 202 can at least partially rest on a ground surface to keep the plane of the ball portal 204 substantially vertical. In some embodiments the plane of the ball portal 204 can be angled 90 degrees relative to the frame members 202 extending toward the back of the frame 102. In other embodiments the plane of the ball portal 204 can be angled at least partially toward the frame members 202 extending toward the back of the frame 102, such as being angled 3-5 degrees away from a 90 degree angle. In still other embodiments the angle between these frame members 202 can be adjustable. In some embodiments, some frame members 202 can be connected with selectively lockable hinges, such that frame members 202 in the plane of the ball portal 204 can be rotated about the hinges toward and/or away from the frame members 202 extending toward the back of the frame 102, such that the frame 102 can be folded together for storage and/or transport and unfolded for use. By way of a non-limiting example, a hinged connection can be present in the frame 102 behind or proximate to the wheels 208 shown in FIG. 2. Additionally, in some embodiments, the frame 102 of the sport net 100 can be disassembled into multiple components and the various nets 106 108 114 as well as other components can be detached from the sport net 100 for storage and/or later reassembly.
One or more tension member connectors 206 can be coupled with the frame members 202 that extend away from the plane of the ball portal 204, as shown in FIG. 2. The tension member connectors 206 can be hooks, loops, or other connectors to which ends of tension members 110 can be connected, as will be discussed below.
In some embodiments, the frame 102 can comprise one or more wheels 208, such that the sport net 100 can be rolled on the wheels 208 to move the sport net 100 to a desired position. In some embodiments one or more frame members 202 can be crossbars positioned below and behind the ball portal 204, such that those frame members 202 can support a platform and/or a ball receptacle 112, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. In some embodiments the frame 102 can comprise a handle that extends to a position convenient for a user to grasp the handle in order to push and/or pull the frame 102.
FIGS. 3A and 3B depicts a front isometric view and a side view of a net assembly 300 comprising the frame connectors 104, the bottom shell 106, the rear net 108, and a collection tube 302. FIG. 3C depicts an exploded view of the net assembly 300. The components of the net assembly 300 can be coupled with one another using stitching, fusing, or any other connection mechanism. By way of a non-limiting example, the frame connectors 104, bottom shell 106, and rear net 108 can be coupled together using nylon thread. The overall net assembly 300 can be secured to the frame 102 with the frame connectors 104 as discussed below.
The frame connectors 104 can be pieces of fabric or other flexible material that can wrap around and be secured to the frame members 202. By way of a non-limiting example, the frame connectors 104 can comprise a heavy duty fabric, such as 600 denier polyester Cordura® fabric. The frame connectors 104 can be temporarily or permanently secured around the frame members 202 that define the ball portal 204 using hook and loop fasteners, snaps, buttons, stitching, or any other securing mechanism. In some embodiments the frame connectors 104 can be sleeves that substantially cover an entire frame member 202. In other embodiments the frame connectors 104 can be straps or loops, such that multiple frame connectors 104 can be coupled with each frame member 202 that defines the ball portal 204.
The bottom shell 106 can be coupled with the frame connectors 104 that attach to the lowest frame member 202 that partially defines the ball portal 204, such that the bottom shell 106 extends downward and away from plane of the ball portal 204 from the lowest edge of the ball portal 204. The shape and angle of the bottom shell 106 can form a funnel or slide that directs objects rolling along its surface toward and into a ball collection aperture 304.
The bottom shell 106 can comprise fabric or other material that is sewn to or otherwise coupled with the lowest frame connectors 104. By way of a non-limiting example, the bottom shell 106 can comprise a heavy duty fabric, such as 600 denier nylon Cordura® fabric.
FIG. 4A and 4B depict top and side views of an exemplary embodiment of the bottom shell 106. In some embodiments, the bottom shell 106 can comprise four sections: a central trapezoidal section 402, two side triangular sections 404, and a back strip 406. The central trapezoidal section 402 can have a long edge, a short edge that is parallel to the long edge, and two angled edges. The central trapezoidal section's long edge can be coupled with the one or more frame connectors 104 that attach to the bottom of the ball portal 204. The two side triangular sections 404 can each extend from, or be coupled with, an angled edge of the central trapezoidal section 402. The two side triangular sections 404 can also be oriented at an angle relative to the plane of the central trapezoidal section 402, such that they slope upward as they extend away from the central trapezoidal section 402. The back strip 406 can connect vertexes of the two side triangular sections 404 that are beyond the central trapezoidal section's short edge, as shown in FIG. 4A. As such, the central trapezoidal section 402, two side triangular sections 404, and back strip 406 can surround and define a square or rectangular ball collection aperture 304. In alternate embodiments the bottom shell 106 can comprise any other number of pieces with other shapes and sizes, and the ball collection aperture 304 can have any other shape.
The bottom shell 106 can be angled relative to the one or more frame connectors 104 at the bottom of the ball portal 204, such that the ball collection aperture 304 is lower than the lowest point of the frame's ball portal 204. By way of a non-limiting example, the embodiment of the bottom shell 106 shown in FIG. 4A-4B can be sloped such that the central trapezoidal section 402 extends away from the ball portal 204 at a downward slope, and the angles and orientations of the central trapezoidal section 402 and two side triangular sections 404 relative to the ball portal 204 can form a funnel or slide that directs objects rolling on their surfaces toward and into the ball collection aperture 304. As will be discussed further below, tension members 110 can be coupled with the bottom shell 106 to pull the bottom shell 106 such that it is oriented to have such a downward slope.
In some embodiments a collection tube 302 can be coupled with the bottom shell 106, such that the collection tube 302 hangs below the ball collection aperture 304. The collection tube 302 can be coupled with the edges of the ball collection aperture 304, such as with stitching or fusing. In other embodiments the collection tube 302 can be an extension of one or more components of the bottom shell 106.
The collection tube 302 can have side walls and open ends, such that objects can pass through the ball collection aperture 304 into one end of the collection tube 302, through the collection tube 302, and out the other end of the collection tube 302. In some embodiments the collection tube 302 can comprise the same material as the bottom shell 106, while in other embodiments the collection tube 302 can comprise a different material. In some embodiments the collection tube 302 can have a cross-section shaped like the shape of the ball collection aperture 304. By way of a non-limiting example, the collection tube 302 shown in FIG. 3C has a square cross-section. In other embodiments the collection tube 302 can be shaped differently than the shape of the ball collection aperture 304, such as being oval, curved, tapered, or have any other shape. In alternate embodiments the collection tube 302 can be absent.
A ball receptacle 112 can be positioned below the ball collection aperture 304 and/or the collection tube's open end, such that objects passing through the ball collection aperture 304 fall into the ball receptacle 112. The ball receptacle 112 can be a bucket, can, box, or any other receptacle, such as a plastic bucket. In some embodiments, the ball receptacle 112 can be placed on and be supported by a platform and/or crossbars on the frame 102, as shown in FIGS. 1A-1C. In some embodiments, the ball receptacle 112 can be provided with the sport net 100, while in other embodiments the ball receptacle 112 can be provided by a user.
The rear net 108 can extend between frame connectors 104 and the back of the bottom shell 106, to close off the back of the sport net 100 while leaving the ball portal 204 open. As shown in FIGS. 1A-1C and 3A-3B, the top and sides of the rear net 108 can be coupled with frame connectors 104 attached to the frame members 202 along the sides and/or top of the ball portal 204, while the bottom edges of the rear net can be coupled with side and rear peripheral edges of the bottom shell 106.
In some embodiments the rear net 108 can comprise mesh or netting material defining a plurality of apertures. By way of a non-limiting example, the rear net 108 can comprise a polyester mesh material with members surrounding a series of holes, such as ¼″ square holes. In alternate embodiments the rear net 108 can comprise a flexible but solid material.
In some embodiments the rear net 108 can comprise multiple segments of material coupled together. By way of a non-limiting example, the rear net 108 can comprise a triangular section on either side of a central trapezoidal section, with the three sections being coupled together on their edges with heavy binding tape and/or nylon thread. In alternate embodiments the rear net 108 can be a single piece of material.
In some embodiments some or all sections of the rear net 108 can have more material than is needed to linearly span between the frame connectors 104 and edges of the bottom shell 106, such that the excess material at least partially sags downward and/or inward. By way of a non-limiting example, the side view of FIG. 1C shows a central section of the rear net 108 partially sagging toward the center of the sport net, inward and away from a direct line between the top frame connector 104 and the back of the bottom shell 106, while not obstructing objects rolling on the bottom shell 106 or entering the ball collection aperture 304. This excess material can allow the rear net 108 to move and/or flex when impacted, such that the rear net 108 can absorb and/or deflect impact forces. In some embodiments the central section of the rear net 108 can be provided with more excess material than the side sections.
The tension members 110 can be coupled between tension member connectors 206 on the frame 102 and positions proximate to the rear edges of the bottom shell 106 and/or rear net 108. In some embodiments the tension members 110 can be elastic or inelastic straps, cords, strings, ropes, or other elongated members. By way of a non-limiting example, the tension members 110 can be straps stitched into the seam between the back edges of the rear net 108 and the back edges of the bottom shell 106, and the straps can have grommets that can be hooked onto the tension member connectors 206 on the frame 102.
The tension members 110 can be configured to pull the bottom shell 106 and/or rear net 108 away from the ball portal 204, such that the bottom shell 106 is oriented with a downward slope as it extends away from the ball portal 204 and toward the ball collection aperture 304. FIG. 5 depicts a non-limiting example of measurements and angles of one embodiment of the net assembly 300 in a state in which it is being pulled by tension members 110 such that the bottom shell 106 has a downward slope, however other embodiments can have different angles and measurements, and/or the angles can be changed by adjusting the tension members 110 as will be discussed below. FIG. 6 depicts a side view of another non-limiting example of an embodiment in which the bottom shell 106 has a slope such that it extends 30 inches horizontally and 8 inches vertically from front to back.
In some embodiments, the tension on the tension members 110 can be adjustable, such that the amount of force pulling the back of the net assembly 300 away from the ball portal 204 can be varied to make the net assembly 300 more or less elastic or slack. By way of a non-limiting example, the tension members 110 can be adjusted to pull on the back of the net assembly 300 with 0, 5, or 10 pounds of tension. In other embodiments the tension members 110 can be anchored to different tension member connectors 206 positioned at different locations on the frame 102 to adjust the amount of pull on the back of the net assembly 300. In some embodiments one or more tension members 110 can be combined to reach a desired tension.
FIG. 7 depicts a non-limiting example of one embodiment of an adjustable tension member 110. The tension member 110 can comprise an elongated member 702 coupled one on end with a cord 704 and on the other end with a frame connector 706. The elongated member 702 can be coupled with or pass through a net connector 708 at an interior point on the elongated member, such that the elongated member 702 can be folded back on itself at the net connector, as shown in FIG. 7. The elongated member 702 can be a strap of flexible material, such as nylon or other fabric. The cord 704 can be a stretchable and/or elastic cord, such as a bungee cord.
A plurality of attachment members 710 can be coupled with the elongated member 702 at different positions along its length, and the cord 704 can terminate with a cord connector 712 configured to attach to the type of attachment members 710 present on the elongated member 702. The attachment members 710 and/or cord connector 712 can be D-rings, O-rings, triangle rings, hooks, loops, snaps, latches, buckles, clips, or any other attachment mechanism. By way of a non-limiting example, the attachment members 710 can be D-rings attached to straps extending from the elongated member 702, and the cord connector 712 can be a hook configured to selectively latch onto any of the D-rings.
The frame connector 706 and net connector 708 can similarly each be D-rings, O-rings, triangle rings, hooks, loops, snaps, latches, buckles, clips, or any other attachment mechanism, such that they can be selectively attached to a tension member connector 206 on the frame 102 or the back of the net assembly 300. In alternate embodiments the frame connector 706 and net connector 708 can be switched with one another, such that the tension member 110 attaches between the net assembly 300 and a tension member connector 206 in a reversed orientation.
In use, a user can choose which attachment member 710 to connect the cord connector 712 to, in order to adjust the tension on the back of the net assembly 300. In some embodiments, the attachment members 710 can be spaced such that connecting the cord connector 712 to the attachment member 710 closest to the net connector 708 exerts little to no tension on the back of the net assembly 300, while connecting to each attachment member 710 farther down the elongated member 702 exerts progressively more tension on the net assembly 300. By way of a non-limiting embodiment, some embodiments can have the attachment members 710 spaced four inches apart, and connecting the cord connector 712 to each one can provide approximately 2.5 pounds of tension more than the previous attachment member 710.
In alternate embodiments, the tension members 110 can be straps with an adjustable length, such that their length can be adjusted to increase or decrease the tension on the net assembly 300. By way of a non-limiting example, the tension members 110 can be straps with strap adjusters that can be used to increase or decrease the length of the tension members 110. By way of another non-limiting example, the tension members 110 can be a belt with a buckle that can connect to one of a plurality of preset positions on the belt to change its length.
The tension members 110 can allow users to adjust the net assembly to have more or less give when absorbing impact forces or deflecting objects. By way of a non-limiting example, the tension members 110 can be adjusted to pull on the net assembly 300 and give it its shape, but to not pull strongly enough that the rear net 108 is tensioned so that objects hitting it are deflected back out of the sport net 100. A user can adjust the tension provided by the tension members 110 as appropriate for the sport being practiced, as balls in some sports move faster than others and thus a different level of elasticity and impact absorption can be desired from the net. By configuring the tension members 110 to pull the back of the net assembly 300 farther away from the ball portal 204, the net assembly 300 can become relatively more rigid and have less give when impacted by an object, whereas by configuring the tension members 110 to pull the back of the net assembly 300 less distance away from the ball portal 204, the net assembly 300 can become less rigid and have more give when impacted by an object.
By way of a non-limiting example of how adjustment of the tension members 110 can change the force of the pull on the net assembly 300 and/or can stretch or flex portions of the sport net 100 into different shapes and orientations, FIG. 8A depicts angles that were experimentally measured on an embodiment of the sport net 100 when various levels of tension were applied to the back of the net assembly 300 by the tension members 110. FIG. 8B depicts the results of those measurements at varying levels of tension, with “z” indicating the length of the net assembly 300 from front to back along a horizontal axis. As can be seen, experiments show that the seams of the net assembly 300 are pulled harder when the tension provided by the tension members 110 increases, and the expansion of the net assembly 300 can be given as a coefficient of those changes. Additionally, as the tension increases, in some embodiments the substantially vertical portions of the frame 102 can be pulled partially backward toward substantially horizontal portions of the frame, such as by 2-3 degrees. FIG. 8B also lists measurements of the rear net's droop away from a straight line at various points on the rear net 108 away from the top frame member 202 at varying levels of tension.
In some embodiments, the slope of the bottom shell 106 can be determined by a formula depending on the tension applied by the tension members 110. By way of a non-limiting example, in some embodiments the slope of the center front of the bottom shell 106 (on a standard x, y, z coordinate system) can be calculated with a formula derived from the measurements of FIG. 8B: y=f(x,z,t)=−8*z/(28.5+t/20), where t is the amount of tension in pounds provided by the tension members 110.
Similarly, in some embodiments the shape of the rear net 108 can be determined by a formula. By way of a non-limiting example, in some embodiments the shape of the rear net 108 can be calculated with a formula derived from experimental measurements obtained by hanging the rear net 108 on a frame and pulling it into a parabolic shape, as shown in FIG. 9. These measurements were taken at varying amounts of tension over the surface of the rear net 108 by measuring displacement from the distance between upper rear seams joining the central section and side triangular sections of the rear net 108, and scaling the curvature of the pattern's sides to fit the length of the seams, pleating material at the bottom when forming the seams. A formula derived from these measurements by normalizing the hanging rear net 108 over the frame, scaling by a second degree curve using a polynomial lease-squares method, and adjusting for the tension t, in pounds, was calculated as y=f(x,z,t)=t*|f(z)|*f(x)=(108/(t+100))*(1−x̂2/849)*(0.05+0.462*z−0.007*ẑ2).
In use, a user can throw or hit objects toward the sport net 100. By way of a non-limiting example, users can throw or hit sports balls toward the sport net 100, such as baseballs, softballs, tennis balls, wiffle balls, golf balls, or any other type of ball. If the object passes through the ball portal 204, it can hit the back of the rear net 108. The rear net 108 can flex to absorb the force of the object's impact, and/or can deflect the object's path toward the bottom shell 106. The object can roll down the bottom shell's sloped shape toward and into the ball collection aperture 304, after which it can fall into a ball receptacle positioned below the ball collection aperture 304. The object can pass through the collection tube 302, and into. As such, a user can throw or hit multiple objects into the sport net 100, and they can all be directed by the net assembly 300 through the ball collection aperture 304 into the ball receptacle 112, where they can be collected for convenient reuse or storage.
In some embodiments, an auxiliary net 114 can be coupled with the frame 102 around the ball portal 204, in order to catch objects that do not pass into the ball portal 204. By way of a non-limiting example, FIGS. 1A-1C depict an auxiliary net 114 mounted on the frame 102 below the bottom of the ball portal 204, such that objects hit or thrown too low to enter the net assembly 300 through the ball portal 204 can be caught by the auxiliary net 114.
FIG. 10 depicts an alternate embodiment of a sport net, FIG. 11 depicts a rear view of the sport net depicted in FIG. 10 and FIG. 12 depicts an elevation view of the sport net depicted in FIGS. 10 and 11. In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 10-12, a sport net 100 can comprise a frame 102, frame connectors 104, a bottom shell 106, a rear net 108, and a plurality of tension members 110. The frame connectors 104 can connect the bottom shell 106 and rear net 108 to a front portion of the frame 102, and the tension members 110 can pull the bottom shell 106 and rear net 108 toward a back portion of the frame 102. A ball receptacle 112 can be placed under the bottom shell and rear net 108, such that the ball receptacle 112 can receive and collect balls that enter the sport net 100. In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 10-12, the sport net 100 can further comprise one or more diagonal braces 1002 that can selectively couple with the front portion of the frame 102 and the back portion of the frame 102. The one or more diagonal braces 1002 can be configured to allow the front and back portions of the frame 102 to be selectively transitioned between a folded or closed position wherein the front and back portions of the frame 102 are substantially parallel and an open position wherein the front and back portions of the frame 102 are substantially perpendicular via a pivot connection 1010. Additionally, in some embodiments, the back portion of the frame 102 can comprise a cross-bar 1004 connecting the legs of the back portion of the frame 102.
In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 10-12, one or more of the corners 1006 of the frame 102 can have rounded corners. Additionally, in some embodiments, the device can comprise a plurality of handles 1008 coupled with the cross-bar 1004. Moreover, in some embodiments, one more net components can be constructed in a unitary fashion and/or fixedly connected.
As depicted in FIG. 12, in some embodiments, the sport net 100 can comprise wheels 1202 to facilitate transportation of the sport net 100. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 12, the wheels 1202 can be coupled with the frame 102 such that the wheels 1202 are elevated out of the plane of the base portion of the frame 102 at a slight angle 1204 such that when the base portion of the frame 102 is in contact with a surface, the wheels 1202 will be slightly elevated from the surface with which the base portion of the frame 102 is in contact with.
Additionally, in some embodiments, the diagonal brace 1002 can be selectively coupled with the base portion of the frame 102 via a fastener 1206. In some embodiments, the fastener 1206 can be a nut-type fastener. However, in alternate embodiments the fastener 1206 can be any known, convenient and/or desired selective and/or fixed-type fastening mechanism or device.
FIGS. 13A and 13B depict the net components of the sport net depicted in FIGS. 10-12. As depicted, the rear net 108 includes a catenary-type sag such based on the formulae and data described herein such that when a moving ball comes in contact with the rear net 108, the rear net will dissipate the associated kinetic energy and the other portions of the netting will direct the ball into the ball receptacle 112. In some embodiments the auxiliary net 114 can be similarly configured to dissipate kinetic energy and contain a errant ball within the auxiliary net 114.
FIGS. 14A and 14B depict an exploded view of the net components of the sport net depicted in FIGS. 10-13B. In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 14A and 14B, the nets can comprise a rear portion 1402, two side nets 1404 and 1406, a base shell 106 (alternately a base net) and a funnel portion 1408. In some embodiments all or some net components/portions 1402 1404 1406 1408 106 can be unitary construction. However, in alternate embodiments, only some net components/portions 1402 1404 1406 1408 106 can be unitary construction and one or more other net components 1402 1404 1406 1408 106 can be separate/individual net components 1402 1404 1406 1408 106.
FIG. 15 depicts the parabolic profile of the rear net of the sport net depicted in FIGS. 10-14B. In some embodiments the shape of the rear net 108 can be determined by a formula. By way of a non-limiting example, in some embodiments the shape of the rear net 108 can be calculated with a formula derived from experimental measurements obtained by hanging the rear net 108 on a frame and pulling it into a parabolic shape, as shown in FIG. 15. These measurements were taken at varying amounts of tension over the surface of the rear net 108 by measuring displacement from the distance between upper rear seams joining the central section and side triangular sections of the rear net 108, and scaling the curvature of the pattern's sides to fit the length of the seams, pleating material at the bottom when forming the seams. A formula derived from these measurements by normalizing the hanging rear net 108 over the frame, scaling by a second degree curve using a polynomial lease-squares method, and adjusting for the tension t, in pounds, was calculated as y=f(x,z,t)=t*|f(z)|*f(x)=(108/(t+100))*(1−x̂2/849)*(0.05+0.462*z−0.007*ẑ2).
FIG. 16 depicts an side view of the sport net depicted in FIGS. 10-15. In some embodiments the shape of the side and base nets 1404 1406 1408 can be determined sag of the net under its own weight which can be dependent upon the tension on the tensioning members 110. By way of a non-limiting example, in some embodiments the shape of the side and base nets 1404 1406 1408 can be calculated with a formula derived from experimental measurements obtained by hanging the side and rear nets 1404 1406 1408 or in the case of a unitary net, hanging the net 108 on a frame and pulling it into shape, as shown in FIG. 16.
Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the invention as described and hereinafter claimed is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A sport net, comprising:

a frame defining an upper edge, a lower edge, and two side edges of a ball portal, said ball portal being raised relative to lower sections of said frame;

a bottom shell coupled with the lower edge of said ball portal, said bottom shell defining a ball collection aperture;

a rear net coupled with the upper edge, the two side edges of said ball portal, and peripheral edges of said bottom shell; and

a plurality of tension members configured to pull said bottom shell and said rear net away from said ball portal, such that said plurality of tension members give said bottom shell a downward slope as it extends away from the lower edge of said ball portal,

wherein said ball collection aperture is positioned in said bottom shell at the lowest point on said downward slope, such that objects rolling on said bottom shell roll via gravity toward and into said ball collection aperture.